The words “love you” have the power to make your heart flutter and give you a big smile. However, it’s important to know when it’s the right time to say these three words in a relationship. According to experts, there is no correct time frame in which to say the word, but a good rule of thumb is to wait until you feel like you have spent at least three to five months getting to know your partner. During this time, you should have shared many experiences together. You should also feel that you are very comfortable with your partner and have a deep understanding of their personality and character.
It’s also important to distinguish love from infatuation. Love is an intense feeling of passion and intimate bonding, whereas infatuation is a feeling of strong attraction and fixation on someone. The feelings you might experience in the early days or weeks of a relationship may be mistaken for love, but it’s likely more infatuation than love.
You might be surprised to find out that your partner doesn’t say “love you” back, and this can be a bit of a shocker. But don’t freak out (or pull a Dean from Gilmore Girls and dump them). Instead, try to understand their reason for not saying it back. For example, if they have a love language that prioritizes acts of service, they might prefer to hear it through actions rather than verbally. They might have been hurt by a past relationship or simply not be ready to say it yet.
Another reason your partner might not be saying “love you” is that they are trying to gauge your response. This could be a way of testing the waters to see if you are the one for them. They might also be assigning less weight to the word or not wanting to put a label on it just yet, or perhaps they’re simply unsure if they really love you.
In addition to being a test, some people may choose to drop the “I” when expressing their feelings because it is a more casual phrase and doesn’t have as much weight. This might also reflect their own personal values, such as being more casual in general or not valuing formality and customs.
Regardless of why they choose to express their emotions in this way, your partner should respect your boundaries and be honest about how they are feeling. If they are not willing to say “love you” at this point in the relationship, it might be best to move on and seek other romantic partners. But if they do, it’s important to communicate about how you feel and discuss what that means for your future together.
